


Song for Someone

by givebacknlivehappy



Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Anxiety, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Kind of a songfic, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:19:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23816017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/givebacknlivehappy/pseuds/givebacknlivehappy
Summary: Bog dreams of hunting and killing Marianne. When he wakes, he finds the darkness has followed him into reality. Marianne won't let it take him.
Relationships: Bog King/Marianne (Strange Magic)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Song for Someone

“No… G-get away from me!” Marianne’s voice rang in Bog’s ears as she backed away from him. Her hands shook as she pointed her sword at him. Tears fell from her eyes as her face was filled with fear and disgust.

Bog felt himself move closer to the fairy, slowly dragging his claws against the trees of the Dark Forest. His claws caught on the roughness of the bark, leaving deep gashes within them. He felt himself growl low and audibly. Marianne sobbed as she stepped back even further.

“I said get away!" 

Bog growled louder this time, causing another sob from the fairy. She turned to run from him, but slipped on the wet leaves under her feet. Her sword fell from her hands as she landed in the damp earth. He flashed his sharp teeth, eager to use them on the small and fragile thing in front of him. She screamed as he closed the gap between them, his limbs holding her down against the forest floor as she struggled against him. 

Bog felt his hand wrap around her neck, his claws digging into the flesh. She let out a silent cry as she fought for air, more tears streaming down her face. He growled against her skin as he saw blood oozing from his hold on her.

“Please…” Her voice was barely a whisper in his ears. 

A tree-shaking roar escaped from his lips before his blue eyes snapped shut. In the darkness, he heard the tearing of flesh and the warmth of blood. Her screams echoed in his ears as the darkness enveloped him in a cold wave.

*

“NO!” Bog cried out as he shot up from the mossy floor he slept upon. He felt himself shiver as the cold feeling dissipated from his body. The loud beats of his heart thumped in his ears as he tried to bring himself back to reality. 

_Calm down, Bog… It was just a dream… Just a dream…_

He leaned forward on his left arm as his right hand clutched his chest, attempting to still his heart. His breaths came out in quiet pants as his eyes adjusted to the night. Raindrops pattered around him as his inhales and exhales slowed. A few moments passed as Bog finally let out a deep breath, letting his hands drop to his lap. 

The Dark Forest was still. The wind swept across the grass and trees, filling Bog’s lungs with the familiar scent of wet earth and leaves. The air was heavy from the presence of rain as thunder rumbled in the distance. The sound echoed from within the hollowed-out tree Bog and Marianne took refuge in when the first drops of rain began. 

_Oh spirits, Marianne…_

Bog turned his head to gaze down at her. She was still asleep – the rise and fall of her chest moving with each of her breaths. The sounds of rain against the tree probably prevented her from stirring at his abrupt waking. He leaned toward her, brushing the stray hairs away from her face with the back of his hand. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before laying back against the moss and exhaling deeply. 

“Hey…” He heard her murmur against the bedding. 

He rolled over slightly to catch Marianne’s eyes opening gently. She smiled softly upon seeing him, reaching her arm out to caress his cheek. Her thumb rubbed tenderly across his cheekbone as her eyes adjusted to the moonlight. 

“Hey…” Bog leaned into her touch, kissing her palm and placing his own hand on top of hers. She sat up and leaned onto her forearm, her eyes studying his expression.

“Is everything alright? You don’t usually wake up like this in the middle of the night…” Her voice quiet, but clear. 

He nodded as the thunder rumbled again. “Don’t worry, Tough Girl. I’m alright…”

He lifted her hand away from his face and took it in his. With his free hand, he reached a claw to trace along her face. Before he could though, the images of his dream flooded into mind. 

Bog choked on his breath as he saw his hand wrapped around her neck, restricting her breath and making her bleed. He saw her body, fighting against him as he held her down. He saw her face, disgusted and fearful of him. He quickly withdrew his hands from her. 

“Bog? Are you okay?” She asked him. His breaths quickened as he clutched his chest again. 

How could he have done that to her? Who cares if it was a dream when that could really happen? He could scare her… hurt her… _kill_ her. The sound of his heart pounded in his ears as he felt his throat close up. _He couldn’t breathe._

“Baby, talk to me. What’s going on?” Marianne reached out for him, only to have him back away from her. He rose from the moss and wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to keep himself from her. He bent over, trying to catch his breath. 

Thunder rumbled again from outside the tree as the rain began falling harder. Bog gasped as he fought for air. The tree rapidly began closing in on him as the fearful look on Marianne’s face forced itself in his mind. He looked up at her and could only see the darkness. He had to get out. Without a word, Bog rushed out of the tree and into the rain. 

“BOG!” Marianne’s voice called out after him as he ran. The wind whipped against his scales and almost blew him over. He felt his feet dig into the newly-formed mud. He couldn’t stop. The darkness would catch him if he stopped. He felt the rain weigh him down as he tried to push himself further into the storm. 

_Just keep going. It won’t get me if I keep going._ His footfalls slowed as his body was filled with fatigue. He couldn’t run anymore. Bog took a final step before it hit him all at once. 

He stopped.

He fell.

He broke. 

Bog’s knees hit the wet dirt of the forest floor. His hands wrapped around his arms as he leaned over. He took a final gasp for air before screaming into the dirt. His whole body shuddered as the rain hit the crown of his head and slid down his back and wings. 

The image of Marianne pinned under him rooted itself in his mind. Her face, smeared with dirt and tears, contorted as he squeezed her neck harder. He saw her eyes – the beautiful brown glint of them gone as she fought for her last breaths. He screamed as he heard the sound of his own claws tearing through her body. 

_I’m a monster._

He stayed there for who knows how long. His senses had been blocked out by the loud beating of his own heart. His sobs were muffled. The smell of the Dark Forest was nonexistent. The feel of the rain on his body was gone. He felt numb.

_I’m a monster. I could kill her with a single touch. She’s afraid of me._

His thoughts repeated in his mind.

_I’m a monster. I could kill her with a single touch. She’s afraid of me. She should be afraid of me I am a monster. I don’t deserve her._

His heart pounded as his breaths became more ragged. 

_I’M A MONSTER. I COULD KILL HER WITH A SINGLE TOUCH. SHE’S AFRAID OF ME. SHE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF ME I AM A MONSTER. I DON’T DESERVE HER. I’M A MONSTER. I COULD KILL HER WITH A SINGLE TOUCH. SHE’S AFRAID OF ME. SHE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF ME I AM A MONSTER. I DON’T DESERVE HER. I’M A MONSTER. I COULD KILL HER WITH A SINGLE TOUCH. SHE’S AFRAID OF ME. SHE SHOULD BE AFRAID OF ME I AM A MONSTER. I DON’T-_

Bog suddenly felt a pair arms wrap around his shoulders. They held him tightly. He heard a quiet voice let out sob of their own. 

“Whatever it is… I’m here. I-I need you to know I am here…” 

Marianne’s voice was shaking. Her body quivered from the cold of the rain. She didn’t seem to care. She was here with him. 

Her breaths sharpened as she held him tighter. “You don’t need to suffer alone.”

Bog felt a new string of tears fall from his eyes. She had come to him. She wasn’t scared of him. She was scared _for_ him. He lifted himself up from the dirt, unwinding his arms from his body. Marianne shifted back, taking her arms from him as he sat back on his heels. Bog laid his hands in his lap as he took her in. 

Her hair was plastered to her face and neck, her tunic and leggings darkened from being soaked through. The remnants of her dark makeup had been smeared across her eyes and mouth, running down her face in transparent streaks. On a normal day she’d be miserable; but here she was, sitting in the rain with that warm glint in her eyes as she studied him. She reached her hand up to hold his face, smiling gently as her thumb brushed over his cheek. 

“Hey…” Her voice softly caressed his ears. 

With a quiet cry, Bog leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her waist. His head rested on her shoulder as the rest of his tears fell into her tunic. He held her against his body firmly. She wove an arm around his neck as her free hand stroked the side of his face. He shuddered at the feeling of her fingers, working to soothe his pain. She pressed a kiss to his temple as he held onto her, feeling the darkness slowly disappear.

*

Marianne woke early the next morning hearing the vibrations of Bog’s voice. The rain outside of the hollowed-out tree was still falling, though not as hard as it was before they returned. She opened her eyes to see him facing her on the moss, one arm around her waist as he hummed softly. The corners of her mouth lifted into a slight smile as she nuzzled her face into his chest. The humming stopped, shifting to a breathy chuckle as he looked down at her.

“Did I wake you?” Marianne lifted her hand and brushed her fingers over the scales on his chest. 

“Maybe, but it’s okay.” She angled her head up to look at his face. He seemed exhausted. “How are you feeling?”

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes before speaking. “I’m… fine. Just tired. No need to worry about me, Tough Girl.” 

“Bog.” Marianne sat up, his arm falling to rest by her hip. She took his hand in hers as she looked in his eyes. “I meant what I said last night. You don’t need to suffer alone. I may not know what you are feeling, but I…” 

She paused. His blue eyes gleamed in the early morning light as he gazed back at her. She squeezed his hand.

“I’m here for you. No matter what.”

Bog nodded, his head turning from her for a moment. “I know. It’s just that last night… Last night, that dream-”

“Was just a dream.” Marianne cut him off, placing her free hand on his cheek. “Dreams aren’t reality, Bog. They are the uncontrollable culmination of our fears. Clearly, you fear that you’ll hurt me. In reality, you could never do that to me. You could never hurt me like that. Ever.”

Bog squeezed her hand at that. Her reassurance was marked by the warmth of her hands, her eyes, her smile. She would never be scared of him. She trusted him. 

He let out a breath and leaned into her touch. “You mean too much to me for that to happen. Thank you, Marianne.”

“Come here…” She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him onto the moss with her. They wrapped their arms around each other as the light of day slowly rolled in. Marianne stroked his scales while he brushed the back of his claws along her skin. It felt right.

“What were you humming earlier?” Her face glancing up from her hand’s movements as she asked. “It sounded like something I’ve heard before.”

Bog cleared his throat, humming the tune from earlier before starting its words.

“ _You got a face not spoiled by beauty  
I have some scars from where I've been  
You've got eyes that can see right through me  
You're not afraid of anything they've seen  
I was told that I would feel nothing the first time  
I don't know how these cuts heal  
But in you I found a rhyme_…”

Marianne joined him, her voice soft as the last drops of rain pattered against the tree.

“ _If there is a light  
You can't always see  
And there is a world  
We can't always be  
If there is a dark  
Now we shouldn't doubt  
And there is a light  
Don't let it go out_…”

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics: Song for Someone by U2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFjcd_d2PhY)
> 
> This is the first time I've written a Hurt/Comfort fic and I'm actually really proud of it. I consulted a lot of my friends with experience in anxiety and panic attacks so I could describe both as accurately as possible. 
> 
> Leave a comment or kudos if ya feel like it! I'm always happy to take requests for future fics on my tumblr (@givebacknlivehappy) <3


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